Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 35

Thread: COC for PV installation

  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Paarl
    Posts
    6
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    COC for PV installation

    Is there any limitation on what type of Tester may issue a COC for a PV installation, besides the obvious single or three phase, etc.

  2. #2
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    4,923
    Thanks
    576
    Thanked 934 Times in 755 Posts
    No, any person who qualifies to issue electrical CoC's can certificate a PV installation.
    _______________________________________________

    _______________________________________________

  3. #3
    Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Posts
    1,236
    Thanks
    34
    Thanked 304 Times in 258 Posts
    Large portions of the PV installation will be DC voltage - According to Annex M in SANS 10142-1 pg 355 it will need to be an Installation or Master Electrician.

    Single phase tester cannot sign off on DC work , or 2 phases

  4. Thanks given for this post:

    AndyD (06-Oct-18)

  5. #4
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    4,923
    Thanks
    576
    Thanked 934 Times in 755 Posts
    So if there's a string of DC PV panels connected to an inverter the electrical installation is no longer classed as single phase, it would be classed as a DC installation?
    _______________________________________________

    _______________________________________________

  6. #5
    Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Posts
    1,236
    Thanks
    34
    Thanked 304 Times in 258 Posts
    Hi Andy

    The original question was over signing PV installation off - Then Annex M would apply

    With the change in question and a single phase tester gets called to carried out a test and inspection with the view to issuing a COC on a domestic dwelling, single phase, of which there is a PV installation - I would say that he cannot issue a coc for the complete installation and would need to exclude the PV section - The COC then would not be valid for that installation as you have now left out a critical section of the installation.

    The single phase tester would be committing fraud by informing the owner he is registered to test and inspect the installation - My opinion.

    Technically the majority of inverters produce 2 phases and the neutral only comes into play once you earth the one phase , as a supplier of electricity for that section. So I would say that he cannot sign off on the circuits fed from the output side of the inverter.

    If I go back in my memory bank , and I cannot find the original definition of single phase tester - I do know that it has changed substantially.
    Originally a single phase tester was created because the proposed quantity of RDP houses to be built would have been hampered due to the shortage of installation electricians to sign off.If I remember correctly a SPT was only allow to sign off on a supply lower than 63 amp's and a dwelling of 100 sqm - He was not allowed to sign off on low voltage downlighters, Aircons , Spa baths and a couple of other stipulations where included.It has slowly been changed over the years - The SPT does not need to pass SANS 10142 and they keep pushing the boundaries like every regulation in South Africa is pushed.
    I believe that there is a place for SPT but that the scope has been allowed to creep to far and probable needs to be looked at and restricted by definition.

  7. #6
    Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Account_Deleted
    Posts
    165
    Thanks
    122
    Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts
    I respectfully disagree. PV Panels and its wiring is not a point of control as defined in the regs. Therefor it is not part of an electrical installation as defined.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Point of Control.jpg 
Views:	382 
Size:	24.7 KB 
ID:	7255Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Point of control definition.jpg 
Views:	397 
Size:	18.2 KB 
ID:	7253Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Point Of Control and what is included in an Installation.jpg 
Views:	1881 
Size:	52.8 KB 
ID:	7254

  8. #7
    Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Posts
    1,236
    Thanks
    34
    Thanked 304 Times in 258 Posts
    Hi

    Not sure I fully understand your reasoning behind your above statement .

    Sans 10142-1 applies from point of control on wards - We both agree

    Point of control - point at which a consumer can switch off the electrical installation from the electricity supplied from the point of supply - We both agree but you need to include the definition, point of supply
    Point of supply - point at which a supplier supplies electricity to any premises

    If we take all domestic installations and the majority of commercial installations , the PV panels/inverter will be connected after the point of control and would therefore be part of the electrical installation.

    There are installations where the PV panel / inverter will be connected before the point of supply/control and then I suppose technically the area becomes grey as no COC needs to be issued.But these are big installations where arrangements are made with the municipalities and Eskom under separate agreements of which I do not know too much about.

    SANS 10142-1 has a complete section 7.12 Alternative Supplies( pg 244 to 250) and specifically mentions PV installations and deals with issues around PV installations - 7.12.7.2 states the DC component of PV systems shall comply to 7.15 , DC Installations ( pg 256)

    I don't see how the statement can be made that PV is not part of an electrical installation and would not form part of the COC when SANS 10142-1 incorporates PV within the regulations.

    Am I missing something ?

  9. #8
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    4,923
    Thanks
    576
    Thanked 934 Times in 755 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by GCE View Post
    .....
    With the change in question and a single phase tester gets called to carried out a test and inspection with the view to issuing a COC on a domestic dwelling, single phase, of which there is a PV installation - I would say that he cannot issue a coc for the complete installation and would need to exclude the PV section - The COC then would not be valid for that installation as you have now left out a critical section of the installation......
    I'm not very clued up on the scope of a Single Phase Tester to be honest but from what you say the same logic would apply if the premises had a light circuit with normal LED lighting that was supplied by a CC or CV driver. This would also exclude him from being able to certify the installation because of the DC component whereas if that same circuit was ELV halogens (12VAC) he'd be able to sign it off.....
    _______________________________________________

    _______________________________________________

  10. #9
    Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Port Elizabeth
    Posts
    1,236
    Thanks
    34
    Thanked 304 Times in 258 Posts
    Hi

    The COC ends at the light point and excludes the light fitting besides the safety around the light fitting itself - Suppose it would be excluded and would allow the single phase tester to sign off.

    I would think that the input terminals of the driver would be the light point - The other way around it would be to install a 5 amp socket and plug the driver in.The socket would be the point.

  11. #10
    Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Account_Deleted
    Posts
    165
    Thanks
    122
    Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts
    can you switch off or control the pv panels at the "point of Control" in any way, If yes, then I agree. If no, then it falls outside this definition and cannot be "certified" by a CoC.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Point of control definition.jpg 
Views:	332 
Size:	18.2 KB 
ID:	7257Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Introduction 50V and dc.jpg 
Views:	501 
Size:	67.5 KB 
ID:	7258


    "Point of control - point at which a consumer can switch off the electrical installation from the electricity supplied from the point of supply - We both agree but you need to include the definition, point of supply"

    You decided that, that must be included in the definition, but it is not as it is written in the regs?

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Dc Installation
    By Pieter01 in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 17-Feb-18, 10:53 AM
  2. [Question] Installation
    By mudaunn in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 07-Oct-16, 01:55 PM
  3. Method of Installation
    By Reginald in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 30-Jun-14, 01:58 AM
  4. new installation
    By murdock in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 18-Feb-10, 01:34 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •